THIS QUARTER IN SOCIAL
FACEBOOK TESTS TOOL THAT LETS USERS TRANSFER PHOTOS TO GOOGLE AND OTHER PLATFORMS Facebook is testing a new tool that gives users the ability to move photos and videos between Facebook and other platforms, the company announced in a blog post. The test is initially rolling out with support for Google Photos, with other platforms to follow in the coming months. The initiative underscores Facebook’s effort to give users more data portability, but brands can benefit from this change, too. For social marketers, the new tool will be a welcome convenience with the ability to bulk transfer media, rather than manually saving and re-uploading assets one-by-one. The move is part of the Data Transfer Project, a joint initiative among Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Microsoft aimed at making it easier to transfer data between online services. FACEBOOK’S NEW MULTIPLAYER VR WORLD Facebook’s new VR sandbox universe, Horizon, has been announced in September, but isn’t set to launch until 2020, with closed betas coming early in the year. The platform will allow users to design their own avatars, watch movies, play games and travel through environments, all through virtual reality. They plan to make it safe for all, with it including ‘Horizon Locals’, who are real human guides who will give assistance throughout the world. Definitely something to keep an eye out for as they announce more news in the build up to launch. SNAPCHAT’S NEW 3D CAMERA MODE Following on from their launch announcement of Spectacles 3, which is set to be launched in November, Snapchat has been busy adding a further range of features to ensure the social channel isn’t being left behind by competitors. 3D camera mode, will be something available to those with an iPhone X or later, and it will allow users to create and send snaps in 3D to their friends and followers. They’ll also be introducing several new 3D effects within the filter carousel, in which they have described in their own words as “bringing your world and experience to life in a way that’s a step closer to the real thing”.
17